Table assembly



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United States Patent O 3,416,849 TABLE ASSEMBLY Manfred w. nube, 25396 Five Mile Road, Redford, Mich. 48219 Filed Jan. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 608,117 Claims. (Cl. 312-312) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A table in which a movable assembly comprising a central circular portion of the table top, a generally circular rack normally positioned in a storage well below the table top, and a central post interconnecting the central table top portion and the underlying rack member, 1s movable bodily upwardly to raise the rack member into a position within the opening in the table top created by the upward movement of the central table top portion.

Summary of the inventonr This invention relates to a table assembly; more par ticularly, it relates to a table assembly having storage facilities.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved table assembly.

A more particular object is to provide a table affording storage facilities below the table top and having a mechanism operable to readily move the stored items to a raised, readily accessible position adjacent the table top.

The table assembly of the invention includes a fixed assembly and a movable assembly. The fixed assembly includes a table top having a central opening and support means depending downwardly from the table top to support it in spaced relation to the ground or oor surface. The movable assembly comprises an upper, horizontally disposed panel member and a lower horizontally extending rack structure, each having a size and shape approximating those of the opening in the tabletop, and an upright mem-ber rigidly interconnecting the upper panel member and the lower storage rack to maintain them in vertically spaced relation. The table assembly further includes means operative to raise and lower the movable assembly so that it may be moved selectively between a first or stowed position in which the upper panel member is positioned adjacent the opening of the table top with the upright member extending downwardly therefrom to position the rack structure substatnially below the table top, and a second or raised position -in which the rack structure is positioned adjacent the opening in the table top with the upright member extending upwardly therefrom to position the upper panel member substantially above the table top.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the means supporting the table top comprises a continuous skirt member depending .from the table top to define a hollow area therewithin into which the movable assembly retracts to achieve its stowed position.

Brief description of the drawing A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a table assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the ta'ble assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3 3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

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Detailed description of the preferred embodiment The ta'ble of the invention, as seen in FIG. 1, includes a fixed assembly 10 and a movable assembly 12. Unless otherwise specified, the various parts of the ta-ble are preferably formed of wood or wood-like material.

Fixed assembly 10 includes a circular table top 14 having a central circular opening 16 and a continuous cylindrical skirt 18 depending from the underface of table top 14 and engaging a suitable ground or door surface 20 to position top 14 above that surface. An auxiliary cylindrical rim member 22 encircles the lower portion of skirt 18 to stabilize the table and provide a flanged appearance to the lower end of the table. Rim 22 is held in concentric relation to skirt 18 by a plurality of blocks 24 positioned between it and the skirt, and by an annular member 26 encircling skirt 18 and overlying rim 22. Decorative panelling 28 and/or upholstering 29 may be applied to skirt 18 and rim 22 to achieve any desired aesthetic effect.

Fixed assembly 10 further includes a horizontal panel or partition member 30 positioned transversely within skirt 18 adjacent, but spaced from, the lower end of the skirt. A metallic bearing member 32 is positioned adjacent a central aperture 34 in panel 30 with a flange portion 32a of the Ibearing member received within aperture 34 and the main body portion 32b of the bearing member positioned against the underface of panel 30. A metal tubular member 36 is seated at its lower end within bearing member ange portion 32a and extends upwardly on the central axis of skirt 18 and table top 14 to a location immediately underlying table top 14. Tubular member 36 has two diametrically opposed slots 36a extending from the lower end thereof to a location adjacent but spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof.

Movable assembly 12 comprises au upper panel member 40, a lower rack structure 42, and a central upstanding post 44 interconnecting panel member 40 and rack structure 42 to maintain them in vertically spaced relation.

`Central post 44 is of box construction and comprises four upstanding panel members 46 arranged in edge to edge relation.

Upper panel member 40 is circular and has a diameter slightly greater than that of central opening 16 in table top 14. A rectangular locator member 48 centrally secured to the underiface of panel member 40 seats in the open upper end of post 44 to position panel member 40 on the central axis of the table.

Rack structure 42 includes a ring member 50 rigidly secured to the lower end of post 44, an upstanding circular flange member 52 rigidly secured to the outer periphery of ring member 50, a ring member 54 rigidly secured to an intermediate portion of the outer periphery of flange member 52, and an upstanding flange member S6 rigidly secured to the outer periphery of ring member 54. Flange member 56 has an outer diameter sli-ghtly less than that of central opening 16 in table top 14.

Movable assembly 12 further includes a metal collar 56 slidably fitted over upstanding tubular member 36, and a disc shaped platform 58 press fitted over collar 56; platform 58 supports the Weight of rack structure 42, post 44, and upper panel member i40.

The table of the invention further includes means for imparting vertical movement to movable assembly 12. These means include a reversible electric motor 60 supported in an opening 62 in panel member 30 with its output shaft 60a extending vertically downwardly into the space 64 between panel member 30 and support surface 20. A small drive wheel `66 is secured to the lower end of shaft 60a in frictional driving relation to a large wheel 68. An elongated metal screw 70 is secured at its lower end to driven wheel 68 and passes upwardly therefrom through a lower journal 72 provided by bearing mem-ber 32 and through an upper journal 74 provided by an upper end wall 36a of tubular member for threaded engagement with a nut 76. A nut 78 is slidably received within tubular member 36 and threadably engages screw 70, and la pair of diametrically opposed `bolts 80 are threaded into nut 78 and extend radially outwardly therefrom through slots 36a in tubular member 36 for lifting engagement with the upper closed ends of diametrically opposed slots 56a in collar 56. Friction wheels 66 annd 68 are preferably provided with tires 66a, 68a formed of a suitable friction material such, for example, as soft rubber. Nut 78 may be formed of Delrin or other suitable hard plastic material.

Movable assembly 12 is normally maintained in the lowered position seen in FIG. 3 in which upper panel member 40 directly overlies opening 16 in table top 14 to close that opening, and rack structure 42 and central post 44 are positioned out of sight within the well deiined by skirt 18 and transferse partition 130.

If motor 60 is now energized in a sense to rotate it in a lirst or forward direction, screw 70 will be rotated through speed reduction wheels 66, 68 in a sense to screw nut 78 upwardly within tubular member 36; this upward movement is transmitted to movable assembly 12 through bolts 80, collar 56 and platform 58. Movable assembly 12 is thus moved upwardly .from its stowed or retracted position of FIG. 2 to its raised or working position seen in phantom in FIG. 1 with the extent of upward movement being determined by engagement of a finger 82, projecting radially from platform S8, with a limit switch 84 positioned on the underface of table top 14. In the raised position of movable assembly 12, rack structure 42 is positioned within opening 16 to provide ready access to bottles or other articles positioned on the rack structure, and post l44 extends upwardly from the rack structure to position upper panel member 40 -in a raised position spaced substantially above table top 14 where it serves to provide an auxiliary, raised table surface for receipt of glasses and the like.

When it is desired to lower movable assembly 12, motor 60 is energized in a sense to rotate it in a second or reverse direction; reverse rotation of motor 60 rotates screw 70 in a direction to screw nut 78 downwardly within tubular member 36 and thereby lower assembly 12 into the hollow or well of the table with the extent of downward movement being determined by engagement of finger 82 with a second limit switch 86 carried on transverse panel member 30. Movable assembly 12 may of course also be positioned at any position intermediate the described stowed and raised positions.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined `by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A table assembly comprising:

(A) a fixed assembly including a table top having a generally central opening therein and means depending from said table top to space the same above a support surface;

(B) a movable assembly including a horizontally extending rack structure having a size and shape generally approximating those of said opening; and

(C) drive means for selectively moving said rack structure between a first or stowed position in which it is positioned substantially below said table top and a second or raised position in which it is positioned adjacent said opening, said drive means comprising:

(1) a tubular member centrally upstanding on the generally central axis of said ixed assembly, (2) an elongated upright screw journaled within 4 said tubular member for rotation about said central axis, (3) a reversible motor carried by said lixed assembly,

(4) means operative in response to actuation of said motor to rotate said screw,

(5) a nut threaded on said screw, said nut having la size and shape in transverse cross section corresponding to the inner periphery of said tubular member and having a substantial vertical extent to provide a large area, annular sliding bearing interface ybetween said nut and said tubular member, and

(6) diametrically opposed arms extending radially outwardly from said nut and passing through said opposed slots in said tubular member for lifting engagement with said rack structure, whereby the sliding large area interface of said nut with the inner periphery of said tubular member and the sliding engagement of said arms within said slots coact to provide a smooth upward and downward movement of said rack structure in response to selective actuation of said motor.

2. A table assembly according to claim 1 wherein said table assembly further includes means operative in response to arrival of said rack structure at its said stowed position to transfer the weight of said rack structure to said fixed assembly and thereby divorce said weight from the drive means.

3. A table assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

(D) said drive means further includes a sleeve drivingly connected to said rack structure and slidably received over said tubular member and having diametrically opposed vertically extending slots therein in circumferential alignment with the diametrically opposed slots in said tubular member, whereby the outer ends of said arms may engage the upper ends of the slots in said sleeve to provide lifting engagement with said sleeve and thereby with said rack structure; and

(E) said fixed assembly includes stop means adapted to be engaged by said sleeve upon arrival of said rack structure at its said stowed position, whereby the deactuation of said motor may be timed to occur simultaneously with or immediately following such 'arrival so that the arms may move downwardly a small distance within the slots in said sleeve to allow the fixed assembly to assume the weight of said rack structure and divorce said weight from the drive means.

4. A table assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

(A) said tubular member is circular in cross section;

(E) said nut is circular in cross section and has a height at least as great as its diameter; and

(F) said arms comprise bolt members threaded into diametrically opposed threaded sockets in said nut.

5. A table assembly according to claim 3 wherein:

(G) said arms comprise bolt members threaded into diametrically opposed threaded sockets in said nut; and

(H) said bolt members terminate in the cylindrical plane of said sleeve in generally circular heads having a diameter approximating that of said slots in said sleeve.

6. A table assembly according to claim 4 wherein said nut is formed of a plastics material and said tubular member is formed of a metallic material.

7. A table assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

(D) said depending means comprises a continuous skirt depending downwardly from said table top for engagement with said support surface;

(E) said tixed assembly further includes a transverse panel member positioned within said skirt adjacent, but in spaced relation to, the bottom edge of said skirt to define a well above said transverse panel member into which said movable assembly is lowered to achieve its stowed position, the skirt being open -below said transverse panel member down to said support surface to define a readily accessible power train space between said transverse panel member and said support surface;

(F) said screw projects at its lower end downwardly through said transverse panel member into said power train space;

(G) the output shaft of said motor is positioned within said power train space on a generally vertical axis offset with respect to the central axis of said screw; and

(H) speed reduction means are positioned within said power train space to drivingly interconnect said output shaft and said screw.

8. A table assembly according to claim 7 wherein said motor is a reversible electric motor carried by said transverse panel member with its output shaft projecting downwardly into said power train space on said offset vertical axis.

9. A table assembly comprising:

(A) a fixed assembly including (1) a table top having a generally central opening therein,

(2) a continuous skirt depending downwardly from said table top for engagement with a support surface, and

(3) la transverse panel member positioned within said skirt adjacent, but in spaced relation to, the bottom of said skirt to define a well above said panel member accessible through said opening, the skirt being open below said transverse panel down to said support surface to deiine a power train space between said transverse panel member and said support surface accessible by a simple tilting movement of said fixed assembly;

(B) a movable assembly including (l) a horizontally extending rack structure having a size and shape generally approximating those of said opening, and

(2) a hollow post centrally upstanding from said rack structure and rigid therewith;

(C) vmeans mounting said movable assembly for movement between a irst or stowed position in which said rack structure is positioned within said well substantially below said table top and a second or raised position in which said rack structure is positioned adjacent said opening;

(D) a shaft member centrally journaled in said transverse panel member and extending above said panel member upwardly within said hollow post and downwardly below said panel member into said power train space;

(E) means operative in response to selective rotary movement of said shaft to selectively move said movable assembly 4between its stowed and raised positions;

(F) a reversible motor carried by said fixed assembly and including an output shaft positioned within said power train space; and

(G) speed reduction means positioned within said power train space to drivingly interconnect said output shaft and said shaft member.

10. A table assembly according to claim 9 wherein said motor is a reversible electric motor carried by said transverse panel member with its output shaft projecting downwardly into said power train space on a generally vertical axis offset with respect to the central axis of said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,108 7/1928 Novak 312-312 1,883,833 10/1932 Tilton 312-312 X 1,893,551 l/l933 Kask 312-312 2,171,084 8/1938 Fasce 312-312 2,895,311 7/1959 Spalvins 312-312 3,028,210 4/1962 Byars 312-312 X 3,065,037 11/1962 Chapman 312-312 X JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

